In the annals of the story-driven FPS games, Singularity deserves mention in the list of the greats. It belongs at least in the same discussions as Half-Life and BioShock, when we discuss the great ones. I fear that Activision truly missed out on an opportunity to market and generate hype for a fascinating new IP. Instead, this game will find itself quietly arriving on the underrated greats list, full of games about which gamers just never had a chance to get excited. As a single player experience, I found Singularity to be exciting, innovative, and ultimately featuring a well-written story with some truly memorable set pieces that will rank amongst some of my favorites in the genre. Despite some graphical setbacks, Singularity overcomes its inadequacies to present a solid and worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven gaming.

Ultimately, Singularity is a first-person shooter that you’ll enjoy over a weekend (preferably on Hard difficulty, in case you find the standard one too easy), but which stops at the “Ok” level, missing that little something to make it memorable. Had the producers given more thought and care (especially to the multiplayer), it could have had a longer life, but as it stands, it will simply fade in the history books.

In certain situations players will also jump between the present day and 1955 in order to gain the upper edge on enemies. Players can even customise and upgrade their TMD to provide extra stat bonuses and perks.

Singularity offers quite a few moments like these. A boss battle against a skyscraper-sized mutant aboard a train falling off a cliff offered intense and frantic action as we’re forced to run against the pull of gravity and away from the punishing pincers of our gargantuan foe. The progression system certainly encourages multiple replays, as do three endings based on your final decision. I was very disappointed by the limited storytelling, and those looking for a multiplayer shooter should look elsewhere, as the two modes offered don’t deviate much from deathmatch and team deathmatch. But beyond these disappointments, in every category Singularity delivers a familiar but enjoyable experience that fans of BioShock and Half-Life 2 are sure to enjoy.

Singularity isn't a groundbreaking shooter, but it's an incredibly fun one. This is an example of how fluid pacing and a tongue-in-cheek attitude can make old conventions exciting again. Disappointing visuals and a smattering of minor flaws keep this first-person shooter from feeling completely modern, but not every game must probe the human soul to achieve greatness. Singularity achieves it with variety, moving you from one enjoyable sequence to the next without lingering too long on any given moment. Besides, this is a game in which you can both snipe hardened Soviet soldiers in bullet time and heal your teammates by puking on them. And is there any greater selling point?

As the campaign comes to a close Singularity actually leaves you on a surprisingly high-note, as it culminates into a lovely sandbox of destruction. In the final areas when all weapons and abilities are at your disposal, it becomes a straight up action-game. The end sequences are also heavily scripted with numerous and quite cool little time travel moments, and coupled with a limitless supply of TMD energy, countless environmental explosives to interact with, and enemies to kill in any way you see fit, it feels like Raven knew exactly what they were trying to do all along. And that is, create an entertaining corridor shooter with cool weapons, abilities and plenty of ultra violence.

It takes its inspiration from the right places, and has a ton of good ideas, but unfortunately, Singularity’s best moments often get lost in a myriad of design flaws and questionable choices. For every moment that grips you, there are three that make you cringe. Singularity isn’t a bad game, it just could have been so much better.

Take the core ideas here, strip out vast amounts of the fuss and noise, and focus on a more puzzle-centric approach, and Singularity could have been a quirky classic. As it is, it’s yet another corridor shooter to add to the pile of decent enough corridor shooters.